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More than just a place to drop muddy boots, today's mudrooms are often the main entrance to a home, not just for its occupants but also for company. Mudrooms are a great place to marry beauty and functionality, and you have many options in designing your space.

20 Hard-Working Mudrooms

Location, Location, Location

"It's practical to consider the mudroom as a transition zone between a garage and the main house," says interior designer Molly Quinn. "And since people frequently use their back entrances as their main entrance/exit, it's helpful to consider what areas guests will walk through before arriving at their destination." For a tailored mudroom with plenty of storage, Quinn included a wool Oushak runner, which she says is naturally durable. Photo courtesy of Molly Quinn Design

Hidden Organization

No more hunting around for items in the back of a dense shelf. A pretty space for hats, scarves and bags is made even more functional by the cabinet that slides out to reveal an organization system complete with hooks and wire shelving for easy access to cleaning supplies and household tools. Photo courtesy of Houseplans.co; photography by Bob Greenspan

Photo By: Bob Greenspan (816-591-3370)

Multipurpose Bench

A leather-topped Plain & Fancy bench includes pullout drawers for storage. Drawers can hold bins or baskets for shoes or other necessities.

Photo By: Scot Gordon

Storage Galore

A wall unit by California Closets includes lots of cubbies and even rods for hanging jackets and coats. "Look at the space as a blank palette," advises Ginny Snook Scott of California Closets. "And consider it not only from left to right, but from floor to ceiling. You’ll find a lot of storage space by going up as high as possible."

Entryway Necessities

An easy solution is to park a wall unit near an entry, keeping guesswork to a minimum. If possible, factor in a cubby for each family member and some drawers or baskets to keep some things out of view. Photo courtesy of Ballard Designs

Equipment Drop Zone

As anyone who lives near a beach can attest, transitional zones are a necessity for trapping the residuals of fun in the sun. A sand-room unit includes a spot for the surfboard and plenty of beach towels. Photo courtesy of California Closets

Photo By: Chris Constantine

Cabinets and Drawers

Ample drawers and storage enable this small space to hold a lot of supplies. A simple pad with decorative pillows softens the cubbies for shoes. Photo courtesy of Houseplans.co; photography by Bob Greenspan

Photo By: Bob Greenspan (816-591-3370)

Savvy Stairway

Stairways often get clogged with items that get shed en route. Staggered cubbies make the most of a bank of stairs near the doorway. Photo courtesy of California Closets

A Mudroom Wall for All

A custom mudroom wall includes a cubby and locker for each family member. "Because I needed to use every inch of the space and I wanted everyone to have their own spot, I had this locker unit custom-made," says interior designer Traci Zeller. "That way I could give each person the largest and deepest locker possible in the limited space we had. Going the custom route was the best option and rather comparable in price to a prefabricated unit." Design by Traci Zeller; photography by Dustin Peck Photography

Kid-Friendly Cubbies

No need to grab a stepstool. Stairway cubbies can be fitted at the right height for children; the top surface can be used for display or decorative baskets, bins or bags. Photo courtesy of California Closets

Photo By: Virginia Macdonald Photographer Inc.

Hard-Working and Rustic

Classic beadboard, warm wood textures and hints of the great outdoors are incorporated in a welcoming walk-through mudroom. Designer Jane Frederick packs a combination of cubbies, drawers and seating into her lodge-inspired drop zone.

Mail Filing System

This mudroom's desk makes the space even more practical, with mail slots, drawers and shelving. The black-painted wall behind the desk makes a subtle distinction between this contemplative space and the rest of the hard-working mudroom. Photo courtesy of Houseplans.co; photography by Bob Greenspan

Photo By: Bob Greenspan (816-591-3370)

Double-Duty Craft Room

This mudroom doubles as a craft room, where a dropped counter at desk height accommodates a sewing machine. Though doors and drawers hide wrapping paper, ribbon, tape and scissors, countertops are the perfect place for wrapping gifts. Coordinating materials used in the room differentiate spaces for different tasks: white for tasks and crafts, polished wood for household storage, olive green for personal things. Photo courtesy of Houseplans.co; photography by Bob Greenspan

Photo By: Bob Greenspan (816-591-3370)

Room for Seasonal Items

"We advise people to rotate their gear with the season," says Scott. "You can move items from one area to another, placing out-of-season items up high or behind cabinet doors so they’re still really easy to find." A wall unit makes the most of vertical and horizontal space. Photo courtesy of California Closets

Photo By: Photographer: Chris Constantine

Fitting Function

A small entryway off the garage can provide enough space for placing a durable but attractive organizing system. HGTV Green Home features a sleek, modern unit with cabinets, hooks and drawers for shoes, coats and potting needs.

Photo By: E.PERRY**Y

Clean and Clutter-Free

A laundry room nestles into the space just off the back door. Baskets above coat hooks are labeled “family” and "friends" to corral all the little things that come into the house. Photo courtesy of Houseplans.co; photography by Bob Greenspan

Photo By: Bob Greenspan (816-591-3370)

Rainy Day, No Problem

Maple cabinetry stores equipment and supplies, a narrow central bench provides a spot to change out of wet shoes, and a row of hooks holds plenty of jackets.

Work Around Your Windows

Use a mudroom window to your advantage. This storage unit from Easy Closets offers all the open and closed storage your family needs, but still allows natural light inside.

Photo By: Photographer:Daniel Van Duinen

Hang It Up

A small mudroom near the doorway includes plenty of hooks for hanging items; the bench serves as a tabletop with the addition of a small lamp.

Photo By: Eric Perry

Cottage Charm

Using antique accents and earthy materials, HGTV host Sarah Richardson designed a stylish entryway that maintains the welcoming character of a century-old farmhouse. To add a touch of charm into your mudroom, skip the custom storage systems and incorporate sentimental furnishings.

Photo By: Stacey Brandford

Mudrooms are often a place where plants are potted and herbs and vegetables from the garden are washed and prepped for the kitchen. You can have the utility of a garden shed with the comforts of climate control. If you're designing a mudroom from scratch, you'll want to have a sink for these tasks, as well as a countertop or table. You'll also want some way to store your garden tools, either in cabinets or on shelves, or hanging on the walls via a rack or pegboard with hooks.

The best place for a mudroom is near the kitchen, particularly if you plan to use some of the mudroom space as a pantry for canned and dry goods. Designate one wall, or part of a wall, for shelves or cabinets so you will have space to stock up when you find grocery specials, or store your own garden's bounty for the winter if you are into canning.

Using the mudroom as an entrance for your family will keep backpacks, coats and sports equipment from piling up in the living room or entryway, and it will help keep the floors in those more public spaces clean for when guests come over. You can also designate space in your mudroom for a system to help everyone in the family keep their frequently carried items organized. For example, install a hall tree, repurposed dresser and rack with hooks to create a "launch pad" for each family member to keep everything in place so they aren't stuck searching for car keys or a baseball mitt at the last minute. Cabinets or cubbies overhead can store seasonal items such as hats, scarves and gloves. A combination mudroom/laundry room will allow the athletes in your family to drop dirty jerseys, socks and other clothing directly into a hamper before they walk through the house on your clean floors.

A mudroom can even become a family hub. Tuck a writing desk, computer and a place for bills and other mail, and you can take care of family business in a central location, or provide a space where kids can surf the Internet in view of parental eyes.